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Thursday, May 1, 2008

Wheat Foods Council and Chef Gale Gand Unveil Cookbook

In celebration of its 35th anniversary, the Wheat Foods Council today unveiled Food for Thought from Parents to Children, an educational cookbook featuring recipes from celebrity chef and mother of three, Chef Gale Gand, and parents across America. The cookbook, available at www.wheatfoods.org, showcases wheat-based recipes and addresses the importance of nutrition education for children, emphasizing a parent's role in a child's healthy diet.

A portion of cookbook proceeds benefits Spoons Across America, a not-for-profit organization that works to positively influence the eating habits of children through hands-on education.The cookbook is available for $3.50 and can be purchased online at www.wheatfoods.org.

"Considering more than 15 percent of children in the United States are obese, we believe parents need to take a more active role in their children's diets in order to instill healthy eating habits," said Marcia Scheideman M.S., R.D., president of the Wheat Foods Council. "This book arms parents with information and guidance that will enable them to communicate with their children about the foods they eat and their ability to affect their health."

Food for Thought from Parents to Children features 30 recipes developed by parents throughout America and five exclusive creations from Chef Gand, award-winning pastry chef, cookbook author and Food Network personality. Nutritious, wheat-based recipes, in the categories of breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and desserts, are accompanied by educational facts about the featured foods including nutritional content, portion sizes and food origin. Also included is a guide that parents can use to ensure time spent in the kitchen with their kids is a fun, educational experience.

"Talking to my children about food and nutrition and stocking the kitchen with nutritious options enables my kids to make healthy food choices even when I'm not around to supervise," said Chef Gale Gand. "This cookbook gave me the opportunity to collaborate with parents throughout the country on an educational tool that can make an important difference in our children's lives."

In late 2007, the Wheat Foods Council invited parents to submit recipes for consideration for the cookbook. In February of this year, the Council selected 30 recipes based on the criteria of wheat-based, nutritious, child-friendly and convenient to be featured in the book.

###About the Wheat Foods Council The Wheat Foods Council is a nonprofit organization formed in 1972 to help increase public awareness of grains, complex carbohydrates, and fiber as essential components of a healthful diet. The Council is supported voluntarily by wheat producers, millers, bakers, and related industries.

About Spoons Across AmericaSpoons Across America®, the source for children's culinary education, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to educating children, teachers, and families about the benefits of healthy eating. The organization works to influence the eating habits of children through hands-on education that celebrates the connection to local farmers and the important tradition of sharing meals around the family table.